Learn to Join the Dance
by Blue Raspberry Boy
Summary: Embo brings Cad Bane back to his home world, Phatrong. Kyuzo partying and dancing will follow. Bane/Embo happy one-shot.


_"Learn to Join the Dance"_

* * *

It was Cad Bane's first time on Phatrong, Embo's home world. They had planned to visit for months, and now that the war was beginning to wind down, their work schedules and freed up enough time for them to make a quick escape deep into the Outer Rim. As soon as Bane's ship _Sleight of Hand_ landed on the surface, in an open area set aside from the surrounding jungles and mountain region, Embo began slowly removing his mask.

Bane glanced at him. "This will be the longest time I've seen you without your mask on."

"Yes." Embo nodded. "Phatrong is the only place I do not have to wear it," he said in his best Basic.

Bane grabbed his bag of supplies before following Embo out of the ship. It was a short walk across the terrain, through a path in the jungle Embo knew like the back of his hand. Through the thick trees and brush, a clearing appeared in the distance, from which small pillars of smoke and the edges of tall roofs could be seen.

"So this is it." Bane had been thinking of what it would be like to see Embo's old home, the same village in which he was raised. Embo's family. He had his concerns, not even counting how Kyuzo were rumored to be especially hostile towards outsiders. But Embo had assured Bane that his village would be different and rumors were only rumors.

"Use what Kyuzo dialogue you can. Even thought you only know some, it will be a sign of respect to use it anyway. When you need it, I will translate for you."

He nodded in understanding. All the same, Bane had come prepared for a worst case scenario.

They had only entered the clearing and begun to approach the village for half a minute, when Bane saw a group approaching them. All children no higher than Embo's waist. They all wore the same type of sleeveless tunic that reached down to just below the knee, and decorated waistbands holding small beads and flowers, so it was difficult for Bane to distinguish between their genders.

He frowned as he looked over the layout of the village. It seemed like a safe place, protected well on all sides, with stable building structure, and what seemed to be an intrinsic network of how homes were organized about each other. "Why are those kids coming towards us?"

"They are relatives of mine. Nieces and nephews, mostly. But some cousins, and siblings." Embo smiled slightly.

A dozen Kyuzo younglings ran up to Embo. He walked ahead of Bane and grabbed one of the younglings, swinging them off their feet. The others squealed and laughed in delight and clamored around him, grabbing at his belt and legs. All talking at once. It only took moments for the younglings to notice the odd-looking stranger who had accompanied him.

Large, yellow, round eyes stared up at Bane in wonder. They looked fascinated, and unsure what to make of him. Embo approached them, both arms full as he spoke to them in Kyuzo, using a dialect Bane was less familiar with. "Everyone, this is Cad. He will be staying with us for a little while."

Bane was about to greet them in Kyuzo when one of them, a small little thing that could only have learned to walk weeks ago, jumped onto Bane's leg and climbed up his torso. Before he could respond, the youngling grabbed one of his breathing tubes and began pulling at it. Soon enough two more younglings climbed up to get a better look at his jacket and his hat.

"Um, Embo, little help…?"

Embo just laughed. "No, no. This means they like you. Come on, the others will be waiting."

* * *

The next few hours were a jumble of chaos and many happy greetings, mixed with confusion. As Bane and Embo entered the village and were greeted by dozens of family and friends, everyone became curious about the Duros who had come with. The younglings especially took a liking to him and would not stop staring. The older children and adults were more reserved, and glad to see Embo again.

For most of the afternoon, Bane found himself surrounded by little kids who kept trying to steal his hat, but were too shy to ask even the simplest question, while Embo mingled with relatives and told them all about what he had been up to over the past few years or so. There seemed to be a lot to talk about, so much so that most of their conversation flew over Bane's head as it was much too quick and complex for him to translate. Bane eventually found out that the ever curious younglings could be entertained if he showed them every detail of the supplies he brought with. While he took each item out of his knapsack and explained it the best Kyuzo he could, older children as well as adults began to listen, equally curious. Many Kyuzo that had not spoken to Embo yet. It seemed that word of the new arrivals had spread fast around the village.

Meanwhile, Embo was overwhelmed with all the attention. Questions and comments from neighbors, cousins, siblings, aunts and uncles, and anyone else in the village who heard the news. Even for a race renowned for their reservedness and stoic mannerism, they still had a lot to say. Embo told his story in bits and pieces, short and to the point but not spilling everything at once so he would have more to share at another time. And there were many stories to tell.

He remembered when he had left this village all those years ago, with dreams of going on big adventures all across the galaxy, to star systems he had never even heard of and places he only read about in contraband books from the Phatrong capital city. It wouldn't be a lie to say he had gone on an adventure, but it was nothing like Embo expected. The adventure in his mind had been a lot less dirty, messy, and violent.

But, for now, he was home again. That was all that mattered.

By nightfall, the village had prepared a welcome home feast for Embo and his Duros companion. Such a sort of celebration was extremely rare, since Kyuzo were not known to leave their homes, so this was a big occasion. A huge bonfire was lit in the center of the village, around which everyone gathered with food and games and music. Embo led a slightly reluctant Bane out to greet everyone.

"I don't think I can do this," Bane muttered to Embo in Basic. "I don't know anything about your customs. Sooner or later I'm going to offend someone and get kicked out."

Embo smiled as they sat down and were presented with food and drinks prepared specially for them. "We are not as strict as we look. They know you are a guest, so they take that into consideration. I highly doubt that forgetting to turn the front of your hat to face north before sundown will get you kicked out."

"I'm supposed to do that?" Bane's eyes widened.

Embo nudged him in the ribs and snickered. "You are frightfully gullible today. I made that up."

Bane snorted and crossed his arms. The younglings ran towards them and crowded around them, wanting to sit close and hear more of the stories Embo had been sharing earlier. Bane only half listened as he was more focused on what was happening around him. He paid close attention to how the Kyuzo people interacted with each other during the feast, taking note of particular actions. For one, the men and women did not share near as much outward affection as Bane was used to at most parties. He also noticed people were keeping their own food to themselves and not sharing, whatever that meant.

As the evening wore on Bane continued to watch the party unfold, content and reasonably comfortable as long as Embo was close by. Both of them ate and drank until they were full, but still found room for desserts. The laid back but cheerful atmosphere, the large fire dancing and glowing in front of them, and all the attention they were being given, made the party feel more perfect than Embo ever thought it could. It was a starlit sky and good food and his favorite man in the galaxy by his side, enjoying every minute with him. Home had never felt this good. And Embo wondered if that was because he had not come back to home, but brought home with him.

Embo said something in Kyuzo that Bane did not understand, and everyone turned to listen. Immediately afterwards, all the musical instruments were brought out. The women pulled out what looked like long scarves made of silk, tangled around their arms as they began to twirl them around in circles, dancing with each other. All of them coordinated it perfectly together, matching each other's moves as they danced around the bonfire.

Bane watched, fascinated. "So what's going on?" he asked Embo.

"It's time for the dance," Embo said. "Look."

Bane did, and noticed the other Kyuzo had gotten up and joined the dancers, moving in rhythmic circles around the bonfire. The musical instruments sent loud drums, chiming rings and bells, added to the growing cheers and laughters, made it a entire spectacle. Even the younglings had gotten up to dance.

"I'm going to join them." Embo stood up. "Come with me."

"Oh, no thanks." Bane sat back and helped himself to another serving of dessert so he wouldn't look bored or lonely. "I don't know this dance at all."

"That's not the point." Embo smiled down at him.

"No, no, I couldn't. I'd humiliate myself out there."

"Suit yourself." Embo joined the others and found a partner of his own to dance with.

As Bane watched, he realized where a lot of Embo's acrobatic and agility skills had come from. He was not just a very good dancer…he was mesmerizing. Bane could not look away as Embo spun around with his partner, holding them close to his torso before extending them along his arm. After some time Bane realized his eyes were fixed on the way Embo's hips shifted and arched to the rhythm of the music. The way his muscles flexed as he stretched his arms over his head. The way his legs moved so gracefully. It was like falling for him all over again, all at once.

Bane had been so entranced by watching Embo, and the other Kyuzo around him, that it did not fully register in his mind what Embo was now doing. Embo had taken one of the long silk scarves to dance with, wrapped the end around his hand, and was walking up to Bane.

"You are going to dance with me," Embo said in clear Basic. "You look miserable sitting there by yourself, while everyone else is having a good time."

"Trust me, I'm having a much better time sitting here eating than I—"

Embo wrapped the silk scarf around Bane's waist, holding onto both ends tight, and pulled Bane up so he was standing right in front of him. He pulled Bane closer until their chests were almost touching.

"Will you have this dance, my darling?" Embo purred.

Bane couldn't say No to that. "All right…but just this once."

With that, Embo smiled and led Bane out to join the others. The other Kyuzo cheered when they noticed their new guest had joined them. Embo took Bane's arm.

"Just follow my lead."

"I have no idea how to do this…" Bane watched Embo moving his feet to the music and tried to repeat the same pattern. Any dance moves he did know would not come in handy in a setting like this. Embo stepped back and twirled around, and Bane followed him, stumbling back slightly as he did. He quickly regained his footing and tried again, his clumsiness and stiff movements only worsened by how graceful the other Kyuzo around him were.

Even the younglings could tell Bane was failing horribly at it. Bane noticed a few of them giggling at him, and they surrounded Embo and Bane while twirling small silk scarves of their own. Bane, imagining he looked very foolish right now, couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Don't stop." Embo took him by the arm and led him through the dance again.

Heat rushed to Bane's cheeks when Embo pulled him to join the other Kyuzo. The music had grown louder and more energetic, and people were singing along with their partners as they danced around and around the bonfire. Embo held onto Bane's arm as he spun him around once, then wrapped the silk scarf around his waist again. As the music grew more energetic, some of the Kyuzo stepped back to watch the two men dance, or try to dance. Embo continued stepping around his partner in time to the music, moving slightly closer to Bane with each step. As Bane improvised by lifting his arms over his head, moving his hips to the music as best he could, Embo pulled on the scarf until Bane had spun around again.

Bane tripped, stumbled forward, and felt a pair of strong arms catch him just before he hit the ground facefirst. Embo held Bane close, their stomachs touching. Both of them were breathing hard and were beginning to perspire, both from the exertion of dancing and from the bonfire's strong heat. In spite of himself, Embo began laughing.

"You'll get the hang of it," Embo whispered to him in Basic.

"I guess I'm going to need lots of practice." Bane braced his hands on Embo's shoulders to pull himself up. He looked up at Embo's eyes, which glowed from the light from the bonfire. Embo seemed so happy, so content, as if he had everything he ever wanted right in this moment. He wasn't smiling, but Bane could see the joy in his eyes that could barely contain itself.

"I'll teach you."

"I'd like that."

Embo gently cupped his chin. "Don't be afraid of falling again. I'll catch you," he purred.

"I know." Suddenly Bane wanted to kiss him, but decided against it. It wouldn't be polite to be so openly affectionate in public, not here anyway. Anything beyond a passionate dance would have to wait until they were alone later that night. Not like it wouldn't be worth the wait. They had all the time in the world now.

Bane smirked and squeezed Embo's shoulders a split second before he pulled away and tried to dance with him one last time. Who cared if he was terrible at this.

* * *

 _A/N: Inspired by a late-night conversation with the platonic friend bae ObsidianTear! And I had never written an actual fic for what is currently one of my main OTPs, Bane/Embo, so this was sorely needed and long overdue. Also credit to ObsidianTear as many of the things I included about the Kyuzo in this fic were based on her headcanons :)_


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